


Proportional Response

by flootzavut



Series: Lie to NCIS [14]
Category: Lie to Me (TV), NCIS
Genre: Awesome Foursome, Cal/Gibbs undertones, Crossover, CxK, F/M, Friendship, Gen, JxC, JxK, Kate Lives, Kibbs, Kibbs overtones, Lie to NCIS, foursomeverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-29 02:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6354865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flootzavut/pseuds/flootzavut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gibbs is not usually this reasonable when it comes to other guys working closely with Kate...</p><p>Crib notes for the fandom blind included!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proportional Response

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PhoenixRising360](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixRising360/gifts).



> for requesting more Cal/Gibbs stories!
> 
> Also huge thanks to BadWolf303 for too many reasons to even start listing ❤️
> 
> Kate lives!AU. Post LTM canon, playing fast and loose with NCIS canon as it suits me, in a 'verse where Kate is still alive and working for NCIS.
> 
> NCIS folks: Gill and Cal are experts in lie detection, using facial expression (reading emotion), vocal stress analysis and other expertise. The Lightman Group helps various law enforcement agencies and other people when the truth is at stake.
> 
> LTM folks: Kate and Gibbs are federal agents who work for NCIS, investigating crimes affecting the US Navy or Marines. Kate is ex-Secret Service. Gibbs is a team leader and is reknowned for his gut instincts.

* * *

**_Proportional Response_**

* * *

 

__

In theory, Gibbs had expected working with the Lightman Group to be... well, interesting. He figured they'd get into the regular amounts of trouble (a wild underestimate), would be clueless about actual law enforcement (one hundred percent spot on), and that once the case was over he'd go back to life as usual without a backward glance.

He hadn't expected to kind of hope for another case to bring Lightman and co into NCIS business. If someone had told him there were going to be at least three cases, or that any of them would last this long, he'd have put his head in his hands and groaned at the prospect of spending so much time with outsiders. He hadn't expected to like them so much, or for it to be quite so much fun.

He watches, unable to suppress his smile, as Cal says something to Kate which has her blushing violently and laughing. Kate seems to be having fun, too; Gibbs hasn't seen her laugh this much in a long while. He hadn't even realised just how much he'd missed it until now. He often manages to prompt a smile or even a giggle, but coaxing a belly laugh out of her isn't his strong suit.

She punches Cal in the shoulder, and it's not gentle by any stretch - Kate isn't exactly known for pulling her punches - but the way Cal clutches his arm, pokes his bottom lip out and whimpers is absolutely and undoubtedly an overreaction for effect, and it makes Gibbs laugh aloud.

Kate shakes her head and glances over to where he's sitting, and they share a smile that speaks of fond, amused tolerance. It's an expression people wear a lot around Cal Lightman.

Gibbs is man enough to admit he loves how working over here has brought him and Kate closer, given him a chance to spend time with her out from under the gaze of his other agents. Both DiNozzo and McGee are smart, curious and perceptive, and he's always aware they would notice if he allowed himself to stare too much or too admiringly at her.

Of course, both Cal and Gill had him pegged from the get go, but they both have more self-preservation instinct, or maybe just less of a death wish. They have the sense not to announce it in a crowded bullpen in the middle of the afternoon, the way he's sure Tim (probably by accident, the words tumbling out of his mouth as soon as he noticed) or Tony (entirely on purpose because he couldn't resist) would.

Cal makes up for his survival instinct in this particular case by having none at all for anything else. Gibbs carefully sat himself on the other side of the room so he wouldn't get distracted, but it's just left him bursting with curiosity at exactly what Cal's saying that's making Kate turn so many pretty shades of pink and making her laugh so hard. He's expecting Kate to thump Cal again any second, and is just barely resisting the temptation to demand to be let in on the joke. He's dying to know, but he's also loath to interrupt anything which could put that smile back on her face.

"You are such a stirrer!" finally bursts out of her, and she's trying to look stern as she shakes her head at Cal but is failing horribly.

Cal laughs, and looks enormously pleased with himself, the silly bugger. The grin he throws over at Gibbs is that of a little boy who got away with a piece of mischief for which he was expecting to get punished.

Gibbs rolls his eyes. Predictably, it just makes Cal grin wider. Gibbs is very tempted to go slap Cal upside the head, but Kate beats him to it. And half the fun is in watching the reaction anyway. Cal, as expected, pouts like a grouchy toddler, which makes Kate laugh again and tousle his hair affectionately before they both turn back to their work.

Gibbs watches them awhile longer, his smile lingering. He's fought many bouts of irrational jealousy when Kate worked closely with McGee and DiNozzo, even when they've been following his orders - especially when she worked with Tony, who's sometimes a little too much like a younger, less burdened version of himself. He's not sure how he'd deal with Tony getting the woman he's ached for since the start.

But the same green-eyed monster has still surfaced too many times when she's paired off with Tim. Hell, he's had a few shameful moments of envy about how casually affectionate she is to Ducky, about how many secrets and in-jokes she shares with Abby.

If his history was anything to go by, he should find her closeness with Cal unbearably painful and difficult to take, and he's not at all sure why he doesn't. He likes Cal plenty, but given how close he is with his team, 'like' hasn't stopped him getting jealous before now. He's learning to trust Cal, but he routinely trusts DiNozzo and McGee with his life, so that's also an obvious non-starter. Even the fact Cal is entirely besotted with Gillian doesn't seem like much of an explanation.

By rights, Gibbs should be torn up over it, and here he is just grinning at the way they're enjoying each other.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, and so far he's gotten nowhere trying to figure it out. He's toyed with asking Gillian if she has any brilliant notions, but it'd involve trying to explain himself. Gill is better than most at making him talk, and no slouch at making sense of him even when he doesn't, but it seems like a lot of effort for a problem that amounts to wondering why he doesn't have a problem.

Mostly he's just grateful. He can count the number of people with whom he is this comfortable and at ease without running out of fingers. Adding two more to his list is more than he ever hoped for when this partnership came together, and the way he can sit here and smile indulgently at Kate's friendship with Cal without having to squash down negative and self-destructive emotions isn't something he plans to take for granted.

Cal seems to have given up on making Kate blush (temporarily - Gibbs would lay down a substantial fistful of franklins it'll last an hour at most), and while gazing at Kate as she diligently works through their perp's email has its charms, it isn't gong to get the job done.

Since the entertainment seems to be over for the moment, Gibbs forces his attention back to his own computer and his own tasks. Staring at Kate will wait, as will a friendly interrogation of Lightman to see what was so damn funny. The criminals, on the other hand, won't. And hey, Gibbs won't deny it. The memory of Kate's laughter and the prospect of more does undeniably make his afternoon a damn sight more enjoyable. As reprises go, he's pretty sure this one will be well worth his patience.

_~ fin ~_


End file.
